Jensen

I have a new 5-qt enameled iron braising pan that I think will hold all the meat pieces in one layer. I'm actually making this to go into my stovepipe pies again. The very first time I made them I used your butter-braising technique but with some slightly different seasonings: These current pies will be for dinner tomorrow night so time is not an issue. I'd planned to cook the beef today and then assemble the pies tomorrow. Maybe I'll increase the butter a wee bit (100g?), just so that there is a certain depth of it in the pan. If the pan doesn't hold the meat in one layer, I will work in batches. Thank you!

Klary, if I make this recipe using 3 lbs. of beef, would you recommend increasing the amount of butter? I've made this twice before using a chuck roast of that size but, for the life of me, I can't remember if I increased the butter or not!

Windows have a nationality? ← Whenever I've been in the Netherlands, the windows in the houses are distinctly different from any I've seen elsewhere in that their lower sill is very low to the ground. I guess there was never a window tax in their history!

You should check out the first installment of his blog of this season: The Tim Gunn Effect He makes a couple of very good points as to why it wouldn't work if he were a Tim Gunn-ite sort: 1. the ability to change directions mid-project doesn't lend itself well to cooking, and 2. he is a judge. Tim Gunn isn't a judge. That being said, it would be nice if they had someone like Tim Gunn, especially for the team challenges. I'm never a huge fan of these shows in their early days. The early challenges seem more geared at pinpointing weaknesses, rather than highlighting strengths. But, without the early shows, there wouldn't be the drama and excitement of the later ones. As for this year's contestants, so far I quite like Betty, Elia, and Mia. None of the guys have shown themselves to have much in the way of personality yet, undoubtedly due to editing.

Can anyone tell me whether or not season 2 is airing in Canada (specifically, BC)? My mum was just here for a visit and she got hooked on the opening episode. Unfortunately, it was not on Bravo at her place last night so she's thinking she might be relegated to watching re-runs of season 1. Thanks!

Based on the windows in the house, I'll guess that the house is located in the Netherlands. Can anyone expand on that idea?

Suyai

I'm still looking through other posts but how do people prepare their brisket? I've just received my first order from Tawanda Farms in NorCal. For some reason, I ordered a brisket (I think I'd seen a mention of a recipe somewhere...the location of which I've promptly forgotten, of course) and now I'm wondering how I should prepare it!

What a great cooking start for Lydia! She'll remember this for her entire life as "the Thanksgiving that I made dinner...and I was only ten!" What a great gift you, your wife, and Grandma have given her.

This looks incredible! (Note to self: must find Casa Moro Cookbook)

I had to google that one. It sounds delicious and I'm sure your mom will enjoy it! ← I'm sure my spelling mistake in the name didn't make googling any easier ... I have a killer recipe that I can PM to anyone who wants it. (Can't post it as it is under copyright.)

I've decided on carbonnades flamades for tomorrow night's dinner. Chicken was a very real option but there's a good chance my mum was at one of my sister's houses for dinner tonight (or last night), where I assume she would have eaten some sort of roasted poultry. I forgot to ask her....

Thank you so much for sharing with us all.

Kerry's idea re: green chile thing is a good one. Here's a recipe that I worked up after a trip through New Mexico. It's based on the green chile I had at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup and can be served with beans if desired (red beans, cooked, not refried beans). 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1 small onion, finely diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. chili powder (see Note 1) 1 tsp. cumin seed, toasted and crushed (see Note 2) 8 Anaheim peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped 1 chicken breast, minced (see Note 3) 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth Notes: 1. I just added this for colour and a little oomph. I usually buy California chili powder and New Mexico chili powder from the Hispanic foods aisle and then blend them at home. 2. Feel free to substitute ground cumin for this. I happen to be out of it at the moment so I toasted 1 tsp of seeds in a frying pan and then crushed them with the back of a spoon. 3. Again, this is a case of using what’s on hand. Feel free to substitute 6 oz. of ground chicken if you like. Directions: 1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and reduce heat to medium-low. Sweat the onion mixture until the onions are translucent and soft but not brown. 2. Stir in the spices. Then add the peppers. Stir until well mixed. Add the chicken and stir. 3. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a good simmer. 4. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for as long as you like. Another idea might be that Mexican soup with the little meatballs in it, albondigas. (Good thing I looked up the spelling of that; otherwise I might really have embarrassed myself!) Maybe it could be made with a poultry bent instead of the usual beef.

Does anyone have any good ideas for cooking a nice Thanksgiving dinner when the typical fare is "out of season" in California? My mum is arriving on Tuesday for a visit. Since that's only one day after Thanksgiving, I told her we'd have a nice TG dinner. Turkeys are not to be found in the stores yet and, given that her flight arrives around 4 p.m., it's probably not a wise choice of entree anyway. (Besides that, it was 30 degrees here today. Turkey would probably feel too much like winter food!)

I feel like I'm a little late to the party but I am so ready to start braising! My old non-stick hard anodized braising pan has been relegated to the shop (the non-stick surface lifted), to be replaced with Daniel Boulud's braising roaster (can't afford Le Crueset). Amazon tells me that it shipped yesterday. In anticipation of its arrival, I visited Tawanda Meats' web page and ordered their "Winter Warmers" package. This thread is just filled with great tips. Now I just need a copy of the book!

You're probably right and I apologise for going down that track. I've been getting my goat from Copeland Family Farms and I completely agree with its deliciousness!

I'm sorry but a similarity in size does not equate with "similar meat" in my books. Goats are herbivores, domesticated as a source of milk, fleece, and meat. Dogs are obligate carnivores, domesticated for working purposes. Using them as food is opportunistic and completely divorced from the species' biological role.

I haven't had dog but, from what I've heard about it, it's more akin to bear meat. Very rich and "greasy"...your basic "dark meat". The first time I had "goat" it was in the form of a leg roast of kid. It tasted very similar to but MILDER than the same cut of lamb. The shoulder roasts of chevon I've had are also akin to lamb. Comparing it to dog seems so inflammatory (and not really based in biology).

Robyn, I think you'll find things are different now. You said in another post that your other trip had been 10-15 years ago. I've been to Germany twice in the last three years and have found that most people DO speak some English. I'm in my early 40s and my German friends are either my age or in their mid- to late-30s. Some that are my age grew up in the former East Germany and they speak or read no English at all. The rest speak enough English to either actively carry on a conversation or (like me with German) are able to listen in on one with some comprehension. Most people I met there (aside from my friends) knew some English (enough to carry on a basic conversation) unless they were from the former East Germany. In that case, my horrid spoken German or slightly better written German was enough to communicate. I admire your travel ethic. I'm with you...go see the country and try to experience the culture through the food (among other things). I don't know what time of year you're going but there are many regional "festivals" that might not be on the tourist radar. I remember visiting bakery after bakery in Aachen, looking at all sorts of different Printen. (I confess I bought the tourist version so that I could eat them without letting them "cure" in a tin with apple.) I wish I'd clued in at the time I was there but Aachen also has mineral waters. I don't know if there are any baths but I do recall seeing some fountains around the downtown area. When I was in the south of Germany (Regensburg, specifically), I remember dozens of würste vendors along the riverfront. Although I didn't eat any of the sausages, I do recall being told that they were specific to the region. Why no würst? My friend's client took us to Hof Brau for lunch; I ate schweinehaxe instead. (BTW, if you're into architecture, I highly recommend a visit to Regensburg. It escaped much of the bombing in WWII and so has many beautiful buildings to admire.)

I just added my favourite recipe for chevon to Recipe Gullet: Braised Chevon

Braised Chevon This also works well with beef. 2 large leeks, white part only, sliced lengthwise 3 carrots, chopped into 2" lengths 1 T olive oil 1/2 c raisins 1 c boiling water 2 lb chevon shoulder roast 1 T olive oil 3 T paprika 1/2 tsp cayenne 3 c beef broth 1 T lemon zest 1 T butter 1 T flour juice of one lemon salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 375. Toss the leeks and carrots with 1 T. olive oil until lightly coated. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 45-50 minutes. When vegetables are finished, reduce oven temperature to 350. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside. Cut roast into large chunks (my roast ended up in 4 pieces) and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in ovenproof pan over high heat. Add chevon to pan and cook until nicely browned. Remove from pan and reserve. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup of beef broth. Add roasted vegetables, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Return meat to pan and add 2-3/4 cups of beef broth. Stir in lemon zest. Drain raisins and add them to the pot. Cover and put in oven for 1-1/2 hours, checking on it every 30 minutes or so. Add more beef broth if required. When the 90 minutes is up, remove the meat from the pan and keep warm. Strain the braising liquid, discarding all the vegetables and raisins. Defat the liquid and return it to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine flour and butter in a small bowl. Whisk into braising liquid until the butter has melted completely. Cook until thickened slightly. Stir in lemon juice. Serve meat with sauce. Keywords: Main Dish, Dinner ( RG1819 )

I know it's probably heretical but I plan my trips around dog racing and then look for good food where the races are. Yeah, even the trips to Germany...

Robyn, perhaps legourmet would be able to give you some pointers (see his latest post on the Dinner thread). I've only been to Germany twice and never to the north or the former East of Germany but, in my limited experience, I've found that the cuisine can be somewhat regionally-based. What I've eaten in Regensburg was different from what I've eaten in Cologne which was different from what I've eaten in Aachen. The same holds true for the beer. Weißbier in the south, Kölsch in Köln, Altbier in Münster. It's very regional. Maybe you should decide where you'd like to go first and then start looking for the cuisine. Also, what time of the year will you be going? Don't go in July and expect to get white asparagus. My last trip to Germany was in early May; I was there for 10 days and had Spargel at least 6 times.

Great story! (And, if you can get your hands on some migraine meds, they'll get rid of that hangover in about 20 minutes)